Digital Threads abstract representation

Digital Threads

Transform your company and build a Connected Enterprise using a new age framework of Digital Threads, helping you gain a 360° view across your organization.

Digital Thread is a framework in which data is collected, organized and presented using relationships between both physical and non-physical entities. The physical entities could be manufacturing equipment, workforce, asset performance, etc. The non-physical could be supply chain, finance, market conditions, environment, global risk, etc. They exist both internally and externally to an organization as life cycles of either process or product.

Benefits of using a Digital Thread

  • Build the digital thread for secure traceability of end-to-end processes, and product life cycles without limiting it to engineering and manufacturing.
  • Use Digital Threads as a tool for improving efficient decision making, cost reduction, quality assurance, delivery, production and compliance.
  • Use Digital Threads to provide traceability and discover impact of multiple business scenarios that cut across teams within an enterprise. Eg: On-time delivery, supplier pricing, margin impact, waste, etc.
  • Adopt Digital Threads to identify gaps between company objectives, current state and all the impact points in the enterprise.

The majority of digital thread discussions focus on the digitization of a physical object through its design, manufacturing, and operational life cycle. These threads are typically described as being digital enablers, aiding with such things as enhanced product design, improved product quality and increased a product lifespan. What about non-physical assets - such as the processes that make an organization unique and give it a competitive advantage? Why can’t these be “threaded”?

Our mission at Kobai is to enable organizations to harness the power of connected digital threads to unlock data, providing for faster and improved decision-making across the enterprise. We want to empower organizations to create and visualize digital threads, for both physical and non-physical assets, gaining valuable insights not only into their products, but also into the processes and key objectives on which their business relies for its day-to-day decisions.

Business Use Cases

Let's take an example of an airline where their main revenue generating asset is the aircraft. For an aircraft to keep flying and operating, the engines are continuously running for a specified time until they need maintenance. Some of the business scenarios that develop as a result are as follows:

On-time delivery

When an engine is removed from an aircraft due to scheduled or unscheduled maintenance, it is not generating revenue for the airline as the aircraft is grounded. The OEM that is servicing the engine needs to take a number of decisions/actions that impact the on-time delivery of the engine back to the airline. For instance - which service shop needs to service this engine? Are the parts ready to be replaced or new parts need to be ordered? Is there skilled labor ready to work on the engine service? There are many service, supply chain, finance and risk related questions that need to be answered to make decisions on time. These impact the on-time delivery metric of the company.

Increase margin

When service is performed on an engine due to repair, maintenance or overhaul, the focus is always on cost. There are a number of questions that can impact margins like do I need to replace or repair the part? What is the part history and timeline of service? Is the part under warranty or do we charge the airline? How does it impact the service contracts and margins? There are many contract, warranty, and parts related questions that impact decisions and have an effect on the margins of the company.

Reduce waste

As components are produced for an aircraft engine, there is a big focus on waste. Checks on inspection, quality control, testing and ordering of hundreds and thousands of parts need to be done. Many of the parts are produced within the OEM factory; however, there are many more parts that are produced by suppliers. This complex web of parts and their quality checks and rejections need to be mapped to help reduce waste and improve product quality.

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